A survival story: 30 years of deflationary hospitality
Japan has finally reopened its borders! For those planning their pilgrimage to the Land of the Rising Sun, I have some insider advice on where to sleep.
Having traveled the world, I can confidently say that Japanese budget hotels offer the best cost-performance on the planet. Why? Because they’ve been forged in the fires of a brutal, 30-year deflationary market and scrutinized by the world’s pickiest customers. In Japan, “budget” doesn’t mean “basic”—it means a high-stakes competition to see who can pamper you the most for the least amount of money.
This economic situation creates a surreal paradox: consumers are pampered like royalty, receiving service fit for an 18th-century aristocrat, while the workers providing it are often stuck in an “Oliver Twist” existence—grinding away under conditions that feel like a Dickensian struggle for survival.
I like to think of economic activity as a “Community Fair”: one day you are the guest being served, and the next day you are the one behind the stall serving others. In Japan, we take turns playing the pampered king and the overworked servant, which keeps the scales somewhat balanced. (Honestly, whenever I see a customer acting arrogant toward staff, I can’t help but pity their lack of imagination—they’ve clearly forgotten that tomorrow is their turn behind the counter.)
However, as an international traveler, you have been blessed with the ultimate stroke of luck: you get to experience the “Heavenly Aristocrat” side of the equation without ever having to face the “Dickensian Hell.” With that in mind, I urge you to embrace your good fortune—and when you visit, please show your appreciation for this miracle by spending as much money as possible!
Forget the giants, join the cult of Dormy Inn
While chains like Toyoko Inn and APA Hotel are everywhere, my heart belongs to Dormy Inn.
The company started by running student dormitories, and they’ve kept that “home away from home” spirit alive. Today, Dormy Inn consistently tops customer satisfaction charts because they are the “First Penguin”—the one brave enough to jump into the cold water and try new, often absurdly generous, ideas before anyone else.
The three pillars of the Dormy experience
1. The “Hot Spring & Sauna” Ritual Almost every Dormy Inn features a high-spec sauna and a large public bath. After your soak, you’ll find a free ice pop waiting for you in the evening, or a probiotic drink in the morning. It’s a tiny gesture that makes you feel like a king for a budget price.
2. The “Yonaki Soba” (Late-Night Noodle) Salvation Around 9:30 PM, the hotel offers a free bowl of Yonaki Soba (soy-sauce ramen). It’s intended as a snack, but here’s a pro-tip: You can ask for a large portion or even a refill. Watching a room full of businessmen in pajamas silently slurping free noodles is a spiritual experience you won’t find at a five-star luxury hotel.
3. The Breakfast Feast The breakfast at Dormy Inn is legendary. It’s not just a buffet; it’s a localized food tour. In Hokkaido, you might find a “make-your-own” seafood bowl with overflowing salmon roe. It is, quite frankly, a budget hotel breakfast that has no business being this good.
Spend wisely, sit comfortably
The magic of Dormy Inn is their commitment to the cliché of “Customer First.” They take a standard business model and inject it with a fanatical level of hospitality.
With the Japanese Yen currently at historic lows, you could stay anywhere. But I suggest you spend your money wisely. Save a few yen by staying at a Dormy Inn, enjoy the free ramen, and then—feeling full and refreshed—head over to our showroom and invest those savings in a piece of CondeHouse furniture. Your stomach will thank the hotel, and your home will thank us!
I confess that I’m a proud member of the ‘Dormy Inn’ cult—because I love a business that dares to be ‘absurdly generous’ in a cold, efficient world. At CondeHouse, we share that same ‘First Penguin’ spirit. We don’t just make furniture; we provide a high-spec sanctuary for your soul. Our Hatsune Miku Art Chair is the ultimate ‘upgrade’ for your lifestyle. By choosing the smart, localized luxury of a budget hotel, you’ve unlocked the secret to true travel wealth—allowing you to invest in a piece of Hokkaido craft that will last long after the free ramen is gone. It is a masterpiece of turquoise-green hospitality that brings the ‘Heavenly Aristocrat’ experience right into your living room. Now, here is a portal to the best investment you’ll make this year: the image below is your link to the special site. If you prefer the overpriced, soul-less luxury of the ordinary, do NOT click it. But if you’re ready to bring a touch of Hokkaido’s fanatical hospitality home, go ahead. Take your seat in the extraordinary. —— The Hatsune Miku Art Chair.
Shungo Ijima
Global Connector | Reformed Bureaucrat | Professional Over-Thinker
After years of navigating the rigid hallways of Japan’s Ministry of Finance and surviving an MBA, he made a life-changing realization: spreadsheets are soulless, and wood has much better stories to tell.
Currently an Executive at CondeHouse, he travels the world decoding the “hidden DNA” of Japanese culture—though, in his travels, he’s becoming increasingly more skilled at decoding how to find the cheapest hotels than actual cultural mysteries.
He has a peculiar talent for finding deep philosophical meaning in things most people ignore as meaningless (and to be fair, they are often actually meaningless). He doesn’t just sell furniture; he’s on a mission to explain Japan to the world, one intellectually over-analyzed observation at a time. He writes for the curious, the skeptical, and anyone who suspects that a chair might actually be a manifesto in disguise.
Follow his journey as he bridges the gap between high-finance logic and the chaotic art of living!